Garment pressing device



Aug. 23, 1955 w. EBNER 2,715,986

GARMENT PRESSING DEVICE Filed Dec. 31, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 J9 I g INVENTOR. @5 J6 J7 W/fiam ZZzzer I By Aug. 23, 1955 w. EBNER 2,715,986

GARMENT PRESSING DEVICE Filed Dec. 31, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent O "i e h GARMENT PRESSING DEVICE William Ebner, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 31, 1953, Serial No. 401,549

7 Claims. (Cl. 2Z373) This invention relates to improvements in a garment pressing device and refers particularly to a device for pressing the sleeves of garments.

One of the objects of the invention resides in the provision of a semi-automatic machine for pressing portions of a garment.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means for uniformly and efliciently distributing steam over the portion of the garment to be pressed.

A further object of the invention resides in means for rapidly drying the pressed portion of the garment after the pressing operation has been performed.

A still further object of the invention resides in means for quickly and conveniently engaging the pressing elements of the machine with the portion of the garment to be pressed and holding said elements in operative relationship to the garment during the pressing operation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved garment pressing machine in pressing engagement with the sleeve of a garment.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the exhaust fan motor foot switch employed in the device.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of the pressing elements and control therefor, showing the pressing elements in collapsed or contracted position.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the steam-distributing pressing element.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic top plan view of a modification of the invention wherein double pressing elements are employed.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 indicates a base which is adapted to carry upright supporting members 2. The supporting members 2 at their upper ends carry frame members 3 whereby a substantially square supporting frame is provided.

A plate 4 is secured to one of the supporting members 3 by means of bolts 5, said plate carrying arcuately disposed ratchet teeth 6. A lever 7 is pivotally secured to plate 4, as at 8, said lever being provided at its upper end with the hand grip 9 whereby the lever may be conveniently rocked about the pivot 8. A movable release grip 10 is connected to an arm 11 which in turn is pivoted intermediate its length at 12 upon the upper portion of the lever 7, the release grip 10 being disposed adjacent the hand grip 9. An arm 13 is pivotally secured as at 14 to a lower portion of the lever 7 and one end of said arm is pivotally connected by means of link 15 to an end of arm 11. The opposite end of arm 13 carries a pawl or dog (not shown) which is adapted for releasable engagement with the ratchet teeth 6. The arrangement is Patented Aug. 23, 1955 such that the lever 7 may be swung counterclockwise, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4, whereby the pawl will ride freely over the ratchet teeth 6. However, to move the lever clockwise the release grip 10 must be squeezed whereby the linkage associated therewith raises the pawl from engagement with the ratchet teeth 6.

A link 16 is pivotally connected at one end to an intermediate portion of lever 7. At the opposite end of said link, the link is pivotally connected to a crank arm 17. The crank arm 17 is integrally formed with a rockable rod 18 which is journaled in bearings 19 carried by one of the supports 3. At the opposite end of the rod 18 said rod is rigidly connected to an arm 19' which extends outwardly from the supporting frame. As will be hereinafter more fully described, the arm 19 is adapted to carry one of a pair of pressing elements and by means of the lever 7 the pressing elements may be moved to inoperative collapsed or contracted position or it may be moved to operative expanded position.

The pressing element, indicated generally at 20 in Figs. 4 and 6 comprises a lower pressing element 21. The pressing element 21 is arcuate shaped throughout its length and in cross section is substantially U-shaped. The outer end of the movable arm 19' is pivotally secured as at 22 to an intermediate portion of the lower pressing element 21. The arrangement is such that when the pressing elements 20 are in collapsed or contracted inoperative position the arm 19' registers in the space 23 provided by the U-shaped section of the pressing element 21.

The pressing element 20 in addition comprises an upper pressing element 24 which includes a hollow pipe 25 for the reception of steam and a return pipe of smaller diameter 26 for the return path of the steam fed to the pipe 25. The pipes 25 and 26 are disposed in superimposed relationship and a porous padding material 27 is wrapped around both of the pipes. The pipe 25 is provided with a plurality of relatively small apertures 28 whereby steam introduced into said pipe is discharged exteriorly of the pipe.

It will be noted that the lower portion of the pressing element 21 is substantially rounded in transverse section and similarly the upper portion of the pressing element 24 is rounded. These portions of the pressing element 20 are adapted to engage the inner portion of a sleeve of a garment and hence the garment sleeve tends to con form with the rounded contour of the pressing elements.

The upper pressing element 24 is disposed in fixed position with respect to the frame of the machine whereas the lower pressing element moves into contracted inoperative position with respect to the upper pressing element as shown in Fig. 4 or moves to expanded operative position, as shown in Fig. 1. The end of pipe 25 of the upper pressing element 24 is connected to a steam pipe 28. A source of steam (not shown) is employed and is connected to pipe 29. Pipes 28 and 29 are connected together by means of coupling 30. A third pipe 31 is also connected to the coupling 30 and at its opposite end is connected by means of elbow 32 to pipe 33 which, in turn, connects into an expansion pipe 34. One end of the return pipe 26 is connected to the outer end of pipe 25 and the opposite end of the return pipe 26 is connected to pipe 35. A hand operated control valve 36 connects pipe 35 through an operating valve 37 to the upper portion of the expansion pipe 34. The lower end of the expansion pipe 34 is connected to pipe 38 interposed in which is a check valve 39. The opposite side of the check valve 39 is connected to a trap 40 which in turn is also connected to steam return pipe 41.

The operating valve 37 is of conventional construction and is provided with a spring pressed stem 42. A fulcrum support 43 is carried by the body of the valve 37 ment 20.

and a bell crank lever 44 is pivoted intermediate its length upon the fulcrum support 43. One end of the bell crank lever 44 bears against the stem 42 and the opposite end of the expansion pipe 34. The amount of steam which moves through the: latter described circuit is controlled by valves 36 and 37. In normal operation valve 35 is set to a constant opening and valve 37 is either in open or closed position. During the actual pressing operation the operator depresses pedal 46 and thus completely opens valve 37. A predetermined amount of steam will then flow through the circuit comprising pipes'28, 25, 26, 35 and through valve 36 and through valve 37 to the expansion pipe'34, the amount of steam being controlled by the setting of valve 36. When the pressing operation is conipleted,the pedal 46 is released and valve 47. is closed and hence steam only traverses through pipes 31, 33 to expansion pipe 34. 7

Of course, during the pressing operation while steam is being introduced into the pipe 25 a portion of the steam escapes through the numerous apertures 27 and thus subjects the garment being pressed to the hot steam,

A relatively enlarged closed conduit 48 is positioned upon the supporting frame members 3. An electric mo- 'tor '49 is carried within the conduit 48, the end of the conduit in which the motor is positioned being open. The

' carried by the frame of the machine and extends outwardly generally in the direction of the pressing ele- When' the hood 50 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 the Walls of the hood together with the bottom 54 provide a substantial continuation of the con duit 48. When the pressing operation is discontinued and the garment is to be removed or positioned" upon the pressing element the hood 50 is moved to inoperative position as illustrated inFig. 4. At the lower portion of the frame of the machine an electric switch 55 is positioned, said switch having an actuating element 56; A switch pedal 57 is pivotally mounted upon a bearing 58 positioned upon the base 1, said pedal being connected to arm 59 which in turn is connected to the actuating element 56 by means of a coil spring 60'. The switch is connected to an external electric circuit (not shown) which includes the motor 48'. The switch 55 is normally openand may be closed by the operator by the depression of the pedal 57. When the pedal 57 is depressed, the motor 48 is operated and fan 49 functions to draw air through the hood and conduit 48.

In the operation of the pressing machine the valve 37 is initially in closed. position and motor 48 is inoperative. The hood is moved to inoperative position as shown in Fig. 4 and the pressing element '20 is disposed in collapsed position as also indicated in Fig. 4. The sleeve 61 of a garment 62 may then be threaded over the pressing element 20 and the hood 50 may then be lowered to operative position as shown best in Fig. 1. Lever 7 may'tlien be so moved as to expand the pressing element, that is, the lower pressing element 21 will be moved away from the upper pressing element. This "action in efiect, renders the sleeve 61 relatively taut. With the parts in this position the pedal 46 is depressed whereby steam is permitted to flow through pipe 25 and a portion of said steam discharges through the openings 27 in said pipe and tends to moisten the fabric of sleeve 61. After this moistening operation has been carried on for a predetermined period of time the pedal 46 is released whereby valve 37 is closed. This, in efiect,

fabric of the garment tends to assume a set condition.

While the pressing elements 20 are in expanded position they are held in this position by the engagement of the pawl carried by lever 7 with the ratchet teeth 6. When the pressing operation is completed, the release grip 10 is squeezed and the pressing elements are brought to contracted position whereby the sleeve 61 may be re moved from the pressing elements.

The mechanism hereinbefore described show a oneunit pressing device. It is to be understood, however, that the device may be made with'two units as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 7. The two unit device 63 is constructed essentially similar to the device hereinbefore described except that there are a pair of pressing elements 64 and 65 and a corresponding pair of movable hoods 66 and 67 which connect into a conduit 68 similar to conduit 48. The operation of the. device 63 is similar to the operation hereinbefore described except that both sleeves of a garment 69 may be subjected to a pressing operation at the same time.

I claim as my invention:

1. A garment pressing device comprising a frame, a pair of relatively movable pressing elements carried by said frame for holding a portion of a garment to be pressed, means carried by said frame and connected to one of said elements for laterally spacing said elements relative to each other to apply tension to the portion of the garment carried by said elements, means con nected to one of said pressing elements for applying.

a moistening fluid to the portion of the garment held by said elements, hood means carried by said frame loosely 7 embracing a portion of the pressing elements, and means carried by said frame for passing air through said hood means to remove fluid from the vicinity of the portion,

of the garment carried-by said elements.

2. A garment pressing device comprising a frame, a pair of pressing elements carried by said frame for holding a portion of a garment to be pressed, means carried by said frame and connected to one of said elements for laterally spacing said elements relative to each other to apply tension to the portion of the garment carried, means connected with said spacing means for holding said elements in spaced relationship, one of said elements having a hollow portionthrough which a moistening fluid is passed, said fluid-carrying element being provided with fluid-escape apertures whereby said fluid is distributed into contact with the portion of the garment being carried by said elements, hood means carried by said elements. I V

3. A garment pressing device comprising a frame, a pair of pressing elements carried by said franiefor holding a portion of a garment to be pressed, lever-operated.

means carried by said frame and connected to one of said elements for laterally spacing said elements relative to each other to apply tension to the portion of the garment carried by said elements, means connected with'said lever0perated means for holding said elements in spaced relationship to each other, a portion of one of said elements being hollow through which a moistening fluid is passed, said fluid-carrying element being provided with fluid-escape apertures whereby said fluid is distributed into contact with the portion of the garment carried by said elements, movable hood means carried by said frame loosely embracing said elements and the portion of the garment carried thereby, and means carried by said frame for passing air through said hood means to remove fluid from the vicinity of the garment carried by said elements.

4. A garment pressing device comprising a frame, a pair of pressing elements carried by said frame for holding a portion of a garment to be pressed, a linkage carried by said frame and connected to one of the pressing elements, a lever connected to said linkage for laterally spacing said lastmentioned element relative to the other element to apply tension to the portion of the garment carried by said elements, means connected with said lever holding said elements in laterally spaced relationship, means carried by said frame for applying steam to the portion of the garment carried by said elements while it is held tensioned upon said elements, swingable hood means hinged to said frame loosely embracing a portion of said elements and the garment carried thereby, and means carried by said frame for passing air through said hood means to remove steam from the vicinity of the portion of the garment carried by said elements and to substantially dry said portion of the garment.

5. A garment pressing device comprising a frame, a pair of pressing elements carried by said frame for holding a portion of a garment to be pressed, one of said elements being tubular, means connected to one of said elements for laterally spacing said last-mentioned element relative to the other element to hold said element in relatively spaced relationship to apply tension to the portion of a garment carried thereby, means connected to said tubular element for passing steam through said tubular element, said tubular element being provided with escape apertures whereby said steam is distributed into contact with the portion of the garment carried by said elements, hood means swingably carried by said frame loosely embracing a portion of said garment-holding ele- 6 ments, and means carried by said frame adjacent said hood means for passing air through said hood means.

6. A garment sleeve pressing device comprising a frame, a pair of pressing elements carried by said frame for engagement in a garment sleeve to be pressed, means carried by said frame and connected to one of said elements for laterally spacing said elements relative to each other, said means comprising an arm pivotally connected intermediate the link of one of said elements, and leveroperated means for swinging said arm to move the connected element laterally with respect to the other element, means carried by said frame for applying steam adjacent one of said elements, hood means movably carried by said frame for loosely embracing said elements, and means for passing air through said hood means adjacent the embraced elements.

7. A garment sleeve pressing device comprising a frame, a pair of elongated pressing elements for engaging in the sleeve of a garment, one of said pressing elements being rigidly mounted upon said frame, an arm pivotally connected to the other pressing element, a linkage connected to said arm, a lever carried by said frame and connected to said linkage to move said arm and the connected element away from the rigidly mounted element, means connected to one of said elements for applying steam adjacent said element, said steam-applying means comprising a pedal-operated control valve carried by said frame for controlling the passage of steam, means carried by said frame adjacent said elements for moving air in the vicinity of said elements to remove steam therefrom, said air-moving means comprising a hood generally conformable with said elements for loosely embracing said elements, a motor-operated fan carried by said frame for moving air through said hood and a pedal-operated switch carried by said frame for controlling said motor-operated fan.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,423,509 Lendle July 8, 1947 2,487,657 Larson et al. Nov. 8, 1949 2,645,389 Raper July 14, 1953 

